Six Silver Candles
by hearts.are.for.losers
Summary: Zexion doesn't like people. Or, rather, he's just a little afraid of them. But when a certain blue-eyed blond comes to his school, his life gets thrown upside down. Maybe People aren't so bad, after all.
1. Six Flames

A/N: So, this is a story I've been working on fro a while. You can totally forget about Timelapse, if anybody even read/ reads it. I'm not going to post if I don't get feedback.

Story: Six Silver Candles

Pairings: Zemyx(main), AkuRoku, SaiXem

Chapter Title: Six Flames

Word Count: 752

Warnings: Shounen Ai, angst, self mutilation, swearing

_Italics_: actual diary

"Quotes": speech

'_Italicized quotes'_: thought

1.

Sunday the 19th 11:42 p.m.

_I'm dying. Every night I die, again and again. Every syllable, every swing, every hit, every miss. I crumble and whither and then I am no more. I wish I could die with finality. I wish the numbness could last, but, every morning, after I die a little it more, the pain comes back and I can only fall to my knees and cry. I wrap my arms around myself to keep from falling apart completely._

Monday the 20th July 2008 7:15 a.m.

"Yo, Zex!" A voice calls and my head snaps up, my eyes wide. I relax my tensed body when I see that it's only Axel and Roxas. There's another person with them today. I nod to acknowledge them and return to my book. Today it's _A Midsummer's Night Dream_. I've been a sap for Shakespeare.

The three of them sit down next to me in the grass. I tense slightly when I feel a weight on my shoulder. I realize it's only Axel's gloved hand; I take a deep breath and look over at him. His eyes are concerned, but her says nothing. He never does because Roxas doesn't know. My chest constricts and I drop my book on my lap. I fold my arms across my stomach and stare at my feet. The feeling will pass; it always does. Roxas and whomever they brought along are talking and laughing. I'm glad they don't see me.

This hole is taking longer to go away. I start to panic, growing sincerely scared. I feel a sob building in my chest. I stand up in run, not caring who sees me or who _cares. _There's no way I'm letting anybody see me like this. I finally make it to the baseball field and collapse in the sunken concrete dugout, sobbing and holding my knees to my chest. The emptiness still hasn't faded and I stifle a loud cry of pain.

Almost at once, I feel arms around me, holding me and somebody telling me that everything will be okay. That somebody, of course, is Axel. (_A/N: Lol, he's actually a Nobody…_)

"Zex," he begins after my cries quiet down. "Are you okay?" He always asks me this, and I always lie. Today, lying doesn't seem like an option.

"No," I breathe out, my breath hitching as another sob rips through my chest. I'm still shaking wildly and clinging to Axel as my last hope.

"Do you want to go sleep?" He continues softly. I nod, disappointed that I have to skip school because I'm such a nutcase. Axel helps me up and we start back to the courtyard.

"It won't go away, Ax," I mumble. "It's not going away." His hand rubs my back soothingly as I lean against him.

"It will, Zex, it will. C'mon, there's someone I want you to meet before we leave." Axel grabs my hand and pulls me faster back to our place under the tree. When we get there, Roxas and the blond with him look up. Axel grins. "Zexion, this is Demyx; Demyx, Zexion." A grin stretches across the blonde's face. I can see the lower half of his face from under my hair. He extends his arm to me and I shake his hand reluctantly. I bring myself to look at his face and find myself lost in his cobalt eyes. By God, if this boy isn't the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Monday the 20th July 2008 8:10 p.m.

_Demyx is an exchange student from a town called Oblivion. It turns out that he and Axel have been pen pals for a while. I still can't get over his eyes. They're the brightest blue I've ever seen and I can't help but stare. I have four of my six classes with him and we have lunch together. Apparently, Axel told Demyx all about me, minus the more serious things. So, Demyx knows that I'm gay, I'm depressed and antisocial and OCD and just plain old messed up. He doesn't know about my father, though, thankfully._

_But, I'm surprisingly not mad at Axel for saying things. Demyx doesn't pity me; he treats me like a normal kid. You know, I smiled today for the first time in seven years._

_I'm glad Axel told Demyx about me. He's one more person to keep me stable. Not to mention he's kind of hot, and single, and bi._

_Dad's home, I have to go fix dinner. See you tomorrow._


	2. Five Flames

A/N: All right, here goes chapter 2! Thank you to The Double-Faced Muse, TheFallenOnes, MaybetheLoch, DemyDemy and MuffinPirate for faving or alerting this story. And also to xGothicxSerenityx, MuffinPirate again, and StoryofGreen for reviewing! Reviews make my brain work faster!

Story: Six Silver Candles

Pairings: Zemyx (main), AkuRoku, SaiXem

Chapter Title: Five Flames

Word Count: 1,575

Warning, Shounen Ai, angst, self mutilation, swearing

_Italics_: actual diary

"Quotes": speech

'_Italicized quotes'_: thought

2.

Tuesday the 21st 4:13 a.m.

_I don't even know what I did this time. I make his dinner and do my homework, as usual. I hear things crashing around the kitchen and freeze. His voice breaks the calm that had been in the air. He stomps in, screaming, and throws a plate at me. It crashes down on my head and shatters._

_Washing my hair was a chore. The cuts on my head had already formed scabs and the blood had already dried into my hair. I can't feel my fingers. I'm going to try to sleep._

Thursday the 23rd July 2008 7:09 a.m.

I sit under the tree again and read, waiting for Axel, Roxas and Demyx. My head is throbbing numbly and my entire body aches. I close my eyes and exhale deeply.

"Yo, Zexy," a voice greets me. I open one eye. It's only Axel and Demyx today. The redhead speaks again as the two of them sit down. "Are you okay?" I shake my head and close my book.

"I can't remember anything I did yesterday. Or Tuesday for that matter. And everything's achy and numb at the same time."

Demyx nods. "It's the pain killers. The amnesia wears off. Don't worry, Zex." I sigh, fiddling with the sleeves of my sweatshirt, trying to make them sit right on my arms so they don't hurt. I glance up as I feel Axel's eyes on me. His green eyes are alight with anger. I flinch and look down.

"Zexion, you didn't…" he growls, seemingly at a loss for other words.

"I… did…" I reply weakly.

"God damn it, Zex!" I shrink against the tree, feeling sicker than before. "You told me – no – you promised me that you'd stop! Damn it!" I feel a tear slide down my cheek.

"Stop it," I whisper. He continues yelling at me. "Stop it!" I raise my voice until I'm barely screaming over him. "Just shut up! Stop yelling at me! " Axel stops his ranting, still heated and glaring at me. My eyes cloud with tears. "You don't get it…" I half-sob, slumping over and burying my face in my hands. "You just don't understand…" I hold my arms around myself and stare at my book, waiting for the pain, the words, the explosion. Instead, a warm pair of arms wrap around me.

"I'm sorry, Zexion," Axel sighs. "I'm worried about you."

"You shouldn't be," I whisper. _I'll be gone soon anyway._

"Don't say that!" Another voice interjects. A different pair of arms pull away from Axel and hold instead. I gasp at the sudden change and then relax and sigh. I inhale again, this time slower and more deeply. Demyx smells heavenly. It's like standing in front of the ocean with a small breeze blowing and water just barely misting you. It reminds me of eating a cucumber. That's a roundabout analogy, but it fits. He makes me feel so refreshed and _clean_.

I unconsciously lean into him and curl into a ball.

"How'd you do that, Dem?" I hear Axel ask, but he sounds too quiet – too far away. But I find that I don't care. I'm not in pain anymore; something about Demyx – his arms, his scent – is just so calming, so soothing, that nothing else matters.

"I didn't do a thing…" He replies airily. My tiny smile widens slightly and I close my eyes.

"He looks so happy," the redhead laughs slightly in disbelief. Suddenly the bell rings and my world comes crashing back down on me. I can't breathe and my eyes snap open. I bite my lip and cling to Demyx's sweatshirt. "Oh my…"

"Zex," Demyx begins, trying to unlatch my hands from his shirt. He speaks calmly, a slight smile in his voice. "We have first period together. You'll be okay," he reassures me and pulls me up as he stands. I nod, still leaning against him. We start walking and Axel waves a goodbye as he goes to meet with Roxas. Demyx stops me in front of the bathrooms. "Zexion. What was Axel talking about, earlier?" I feel a small twang in my chest. I take a deep breath and pull him into the bathroom. Once we're inside, I check under the stalls for people. I sigh, lock the door, then turn to Demyx.

"A few years ago, I guess my parents decided they hated me. I-I got really depressed, a-and-nd – " I cut myself off as I feel another sob building up in my throat. I settle for taking a deep breath and rolling up my sleeves to reveal a wide array of angry red scars popping out against my skin, the flesh on my thin wrists appearing twisted and mangled. Three of the cuts on my left wrist are fresh scabs. Demyx runs his fingers over my skin. I watch nervously as his expression changes from confused, to shocked, to angry, to disbelieving, and, finally, to sad. He grabs my shoulders and pulls me into a hug. I sigh and relax into him, relieved that he's not going to run away. My mind slowly processes that I wouldn't have to worry about him running away if I hadn't done this in the first place. "I'm a failure." I mumble dejectedly.

"You're not, Zexion! Stop putting yourself down so much!" He pushes me forward roughly and holds me at arms length. His eyes are alight with what looks like rage or maybe passion. "Stop it. You aren't a failure, you're not a nutcase, you're not pitiful or anything that you might think you are. Zexion, I swear to God, you're perfectly fine the way you are," he finishes quietly. I nod numbly.

'_If only he knew how untrue those words are_.'

"C'mon, we're going to be late to English," he says calmly. He pulls my sleeves down gently and hugs me again. "You'll be okay, Zex." I wrap my arms around him and cling to him more closely. It feels like I can't let go, that if I do, I'll fall apart completely. Demyx somehow manages to remove his sweatshirt with my arms still around him. He wraps it around me and smiles that goofy grin. "There, now it's like I'm always hugging you." He's right. It isn't the exact same, but I feel calmer than usual. I smile softly and we walk to English as the halls thin out. Just before we enter the classroom, Demyx turns to me and smoothes my hair down. "It _will _be okay, I promise," he tells me softly, bending down and kissing my forehead. We go into the room as if nothing had happened. I walk back to my seat and sit down. For a second I'm breathless because, not only does Demyx accept me, but he kissed me. So, maybe it was only on the forehead, but _Demyx_ kissed _me. _

11:37 a.m.

I'm supposed to meet Demyx at his locker so we can go to lunch together. When I get there, Axel and Roxas are waiting patiently and Demyx has all but disappeared into his locker. I send Axel a quizzical look and I see him flash a smile and release a breath. For a second, I don't understand, then, I realize that I had, in fact, betrayed myself and shown an emotion. I mold my face back to my normal, emotionless expression. Axel smirks and I glare.

"Dare I ask?" I sigh, turning my head to look at Demyx.

"Poor kid can't kind his lunch money!" Axel announces, dramatically. I roll my eyes and reach over to Demyx, pulling a green piece of paper out his back pocket. Sure enough, it's a five-dollar bill.

"Demyx, are you looking for this?" I ask with a small smile. He whirls around and grabs the bill from my hand. He grins widely and throws his arms around me.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, that you, thank you, Zexy!" He exclaims, bouncing up and down with me still in his arms. I hear a sound come out of my mouth that I haven't heard since I was a little kid. I had _laughed_. Demyx stops bouncing and holds me at arms length. Behind him, Axel is awe-struck and grinning like a fool. "You just…. Did you…. OhmyGodyoujustlaughed!" He exclaims happily. I grin, the feeling foreign to me, but nice at the same time. Demyx's smile falters and his eyes look almost pained. I crease my eyebrows as my smile drops and look at him, worried.

"What? What's wrong? What did I do?" I ask hurriedly. Demyx takes my face in his hands. They're the rough, calloused hands of a musician, but they're heaven against my skin. I rest my hand on one of his and nuzzle my cheek against it. His scent brainwashes me and I find myself smiling again.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Zexy. Your smile is beautiful," he says quietly, smiling at me once again. I feel my face heat up. I look down, though I haven't removed my hand from his. Demyx tilts my head back up with his free hand and smiles at me wider than before. It's contagious; I can't help but smile back. He kisses my forehead and takes a hold on the hand that's holding his to my face. "Let's go to lunch." I nod and lean against him as we walk, not even bothering to catch up to Axel and Roxas.


	3. Four Flames

A/N:

Story: Six Silver Candles

Pairings: Zemyx (main), AkuRoku, SaiXem

Chapter Title: Four Flames

Word Count: 1, 203

Warning, Shounen Ai, angst, self mutilation, swearing

_Italics_: actual diary

"Quotes": speech

'_Italicized quotes'_: thought

Thursday the 23rd July 2008 3:45 p.m.

Axel takes Demyx and me home after a meeting about our senior class picture day. In the hall today, between the classes we don't have together, Demyx would smile at me I don't feel as bad as I usually do with Demyx sitting next to me in the back seat. My stomach drops as Axel pulls up to the library where I work. I pulled Demyx's sweatshirt closer around me. Demyx pulls me into a quick one-armed hug.

"You can keep the sweatshirt, Zex, I have another one," he whispers to me. I sigh and nod. I want to stay in his arms forever; I've never felt so safe in my life. I get out of the car and flash a smile before I close the door.

I wave goodbye and walk up the tall flight of steps of T. W. Nevawoz Library to the large glass doors. I pull them open and shiver – partly from being cold and partly because the scent that greets me is absolutely intoxicating. I pull Demyx's sweatshirt tighter around my body and let his own scent and the smell of old books wash over me. I can't help but smile widely as I walk to the back room where the lounge is.

"Whoa, Zex! Smile, much?" My co-worker, Marluxia laughs; I just smile wider. I plop down on the couch in the lounge, a sleepy haze taking me over.

"Marly, I think there's something wrong with him…" My other colleague, Vexen sighs.

"Ch'yeah, he's seriously fucked up t'day," the pink-haired hippy replies, crossing his arms.

"I am not, Marluxia," I say defensively, though I still can't hide my smile. He barks a laugh.

"What is it, who'd ya get it from and where?" He fires at me. I growl in the back of my mind at his unparallel sentence. I just chuckle, though.

"It's called therapy, maybe you should get some yourself." I reply lazily. "I got it from Axel and Demyx, by the way." I curse quietly as I hear my voice get dreamy at the Demyx's name. Marluxia's eyes widen in recognition.

"You like him!" I cough and splutter, my eyes bugging.

"What?!" I exclaim. "Marluxia, are you stupid?"

"No, just stoned," Vexen comments, biting into a pastry of some sort. I laugh as Marly scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"I am _not_," he replies indignantly, though all three of us know he really is. I sigh and stand up.

"Where's Saïx?" The sudden realization of my missing blue-haired friend hits me like ton of bricks and I sit back down suddenly. I shake my head vigorously and stand up again.

"He's up at the desk already," Vexen replies, his head now shoved in a cupboard. I nod and turn to leave. I hand lands on my shoulder. I look over said shoulder at Marluxia.

"He's had a bad day, don't take what he says personally," he tells me in a suddenly sober moment. I nod hesitantly. Just as fast as he turned serious, he turns back to being a stoner hippy. Wondering what he meant, I walk slowly back out to the front desk. I pull Demyx's sweatshirt closer to my body by folding me arms. The action stirs his scent out lf the fabric and I smile again.

When I get there, Saïx looks ready to tear his hair and/or rob a bank. I take my seat directly behind his and boot up the ancient computer on the desk.

"Sai…" I ask using a nickname he only lets me use. "What's wrong?" He snaps his head to face me, his unnaturally golden eyes glowing with rage. His eyebrows are creased together, distorting the large x-shaped scar on his forehead.

"You wanna _know_ what's _wrong_? Well, I'll tell ya. My girlfriend dumped me, I got kicked out of my house, I got fired from my other job and I failed my calculus final!" His face suddenly droops and he sighs. "Sorry, I shouldn't be taking this out on you. I just don't know what to do anymore, Zex. I-I really don't." I rest a hand on his shoulder as he turns back around and slumps over his side of the desk.

"Where are you staying for now?" I ask softly.

"Marly's letting me use his guest house."

'_Damn rich bastard.'_

"That's good enough. This job has to get some decent pay; I know I do, heh. And, if she dumped you, she doesn't know what she's letting go. As for the Calculus… I couldn't help you there." It's silent.

"You've been talking a lot lately, Zex. Ever since Monday. What's up?"

"I….It's nothing," I say with a small smile. Saïx raises his eyebrow, unconvinced.

"And _now _you're smiling. What's been going on?" I open my mouth to start telling Saïx that it's nothing, but I stop and smile as I see an unlikely face walk through the doors. He grins and jogs over, the chain attached to his belt-loops jingling noisily.

"Demyx?" I smile broadly.

"Heya, Zexy. I left my keys in the pocket of my sweatshirt." He grins sheepishly. I shove my hands in the pockets of the jacket, obtaining a pair of keys. I chuckle lowly as I hand them over.

"Absent-minded fool," I mutter with a grin.

"Yeah, you know you couldn't live without me," he replies smugly. I just smile. "See ya tomorrow, Zexy," he laughs, leaning over and kissing my forehead again. He's out the door before I find my voice to reply. I sigh happily a little to loudly as sink into my chair.

"Zexy's got some 'splainin' to do!" A voice brings me out of my haze. I whirl around in my chair to see Marly, Vexen and Saïx all staring at me. I feel my face turn red and I look down, letting my hair hide my blush.

"Nothing, really?" Saïx laughs. It's going to be a long four hours.

Friday the 24th July 2008 3:12 a.m.

_I can't go to school today. My head is pounding and I'm in so much pain, I can't take it anymore. I'd only said hello. Has this all escalated to where I can't even speak anymore? And, after that, anything sharp looked inviting. When my dad left for work, I basically mutilated myself. Except for my arms. Axel will look there. _

_I'm getting blood al over the paper; I need to go clean up. There's a pool of blood under me already. I'm not ready for _that _… Yet._

12:16 p.m.

_I fell asleep after I took a shower. When I wake up, I feel better than before, but I decide not to push it. Besides, going to school now meant explaining to Axel and Demyx why I cam in late. I can't do that. I'd fall apart. I already am falling apart, though. God, I can't take this anymore. _Any _of it. I'm sorry. This is too much. There's too much, I just want it to go away. I've tried. Sometimes things can't be helped._

_I really am sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Axel, Roxas, Vexen, Marly, Sa__ï__x. _Demyx. _All of you. Don't cry for me. _

_I'm sorry, _

_Zexion._


	4. Three Flames

**A/N: So, in this chapter, we find out some things that surprise everybody… I think you guys'll hate me for this one more so than the last chapter… ^^'''**

**Story: Six Silver Candles**

**Pairings: Zemyx (main), AkuRoku, SaiXem**

**Chapter Title: Three Flames**

**Song to Listen to: Reverse This Curse – Escape the Fate**

**Word Count: 1169**

**Warning, Shounen Ai, angst, self mutilation, swearing**

_**Italics**_**: actual diary**

"**Quotes": speech**

'_**Italicized quotes'**_**: thought**

}{}{}{

∂£m¥x

Wednesday the 13th, August, 2008

I sit on the bed next to Zexion's frail body. There is no way that this skin-and-bones teenager is _my_ Zexion. This slate-haired boy looks dead. His face is thin and sunken, his cheeks sallow and his skin cold. His normal pale complexion is even whiter and his arm, placed over the blanket at his sides, are so thin, they are merely bone. I'd had no idea what he was going through. If I had… God, if only I had known…

He had anorexia – none of us knew that one – and an anxiety disorder. His depression was worse than it had been when he was diagnosed, his abusive father had caused the majority or the other injuries over Zexion's body; those stupid birdbrains didn't believe Axel when he told them. The doctors have already pronounced him mentally unsound. So, when he got better – _if _he got better – it would be straight off to the funny farm for him. I don't want to lose him.

It's been over two and a half weeks since he's been awake. They're keeping him on life support, but I don't know how much longer. Earlier this morning, I heard something come out of his father's mouth that I'd rather not have heard. The words still ring loudly in my ears. I feel sick just thinking about them.

'_Pull the plug; I don't care. I don't want him._'

Z£x¡øn

?? The ?? August 2008 ?? ?.m.

I only have one thought as I wake from my chemically induced slumber: _it didn't work_. My body is throbbing in pain. My throat burns; it feels as if a heated fire poker has been shoved down my throat.

'_I don't want this. Who saved me? I want to die!' _ I open my mouth to scream, but no sound comes out. I feel sick and numb. I go to touch my throat, only to find that my arms are strapped down, as is the rest of my body. This is all like one giant nightmare. I can't breathe. I'm scared. I hear the heart monitor beeping erratically, matching my heartbeat.

'_Why isn't anybody coming?_' A tear leaks from eye and trails down my face. '_Where's Demyx…?_' I ask myself, hopelessly. '_Dear God, why couldn't I have just died?_'

∂£m¥x

Thursday the 14th, August 2008 7:14 a.m.

Staring at my report card in disbelief, I sit down in m seat. I'd been getting straight A's up until two weeks ago. I want to bash my face off of my desk. I suddenly freeze as I realize what happened that made my grades slip.

Three weeks ago, Zexion went into the hospital. He'd been found on Saturday, when he wouldn't pick up his phone. He was sliding in and out of consciousness. A week after that, he lapsed into a coma. Did he really affect me that much? I feel my eyes water ad I lower my head on my desk to hide it.

'_Do I really like him that much? When did I start liking him…?_' This last question puzzles me. Was it when he poured his heart out to me the day before he went into the hospital? When he had confided in my a secret he hadn't even told the people he'd known his entire life – besides Axel? Was it when I first met him, over a month ago, and his face was red and his eyes were puffy but he was still so completely and utterly gorgeous it made _me _want to cry? OR, was it when Axel first sent me a picture of him last summer when we first started emailing?

I remember that picture so, it's almost as if I'm holding it in my hands. It was when Roxas and Axel were in those awkward not-dating-but-knowing-each-other's-feelings stages. Roxas had his head on Axel's shoulder, a slight red blush on his face and a dreamy smile on his lips. Axel held the camera in front of the three of them with his long arm, a devilish grin on his face, his emerald eyes shining. It was Zexion who took my breath away. He wasn't smiling, and his grey eyes were shining with hostility, but you could see the ghosts of a smile on the corners of his mouth. And he was still the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

'_I'm worried for him. What if he doesn't wake up? And when, and if, he does, will he be worse off than before?_' He'd obviously tried to off himself for a reason. By now, I'm crying, trying to hide it from my classmates.

"Dem…" A familiar and welcoming voice calls my name, but it's still not the one I want to hear. I shake my head as I'm pulled to my feet and lead out of the room. I briefly wonder how odd this might look, but the thought leaves my mind as soon as enters. I haven't cried the entire three weeks, but it's all over flowing now. I have no idea where we're going my vision is blinded by pools of water. My knees give out as we walk, and I fall to the floor, kneeling. I hear fabric rustle and a jacket wraps around me. "Demyx, it'll be okay… He's awake, he's fine," my red haired friend tells me. Two of his statements are bold-faced lies and he knows it, as do I. I continue shaking my head and clutch my arm around my stomach. My other arm's fist is shoved in my mouth, trying in vain to silence the sobs wracking my body.

"What if… he didn't… _want_ to live…? Axel… what if he hates me… for saving him…?" I choke out. There's no response. I look up; Axel's crying, as well.

"He won't hate you, Dem. Nobody could ever hate you," he replies honestly. "C'mon, Roxie's waiting with the car; let's go see him."

"Yeah…. I miss him. I want to see him…" I mumbled, standing on shaky legs. I lean against Axel for support and he keeps me steady. I keep trying to reassure myself that everything will be fine. I want to believe that everything's going to be back to normal. I try and I want, but I _know _that neither will come true. _Nothing _is going to be the same, not now, not ever…

**A/N: No killing me, 'kay? If you're lucky, I might post another chapter today. Maybe. I dunno. The ending of this story is not a happy one, but I'm telling you now that there's a sequel. So stick with me! You won't be disappointed! **


	5. Two Flames

**A/N: Le sigh. I can't believe I'm updating so soon… Ah, well you guys are shports. I love you aaaallllll!!!!!!!! Hey, just a heads up, we got One Flame and Burn Out left in this story, then onto the sequel~! It's funny; I started the sequel before I finished this story… XDD**

**Thanks for the reviews and faves and alerts. Ugh, why am I watching VH1? The stupid top 20 countdown is on. There've only been two songs that I like on it and it's on the top five. I can't stand this mainstream shit. Christina Aguilera has a song that's totally shit techno. It's like **_**trying **_**to be techno and failing miserably. It's hard to watch…**

**P.S. This chappie's reeeeaaaally long… I combined this chapter and what was supposed to be the next chapter, to make up for the eternity between my updates. It's kinda depressing, too - the chapter, not the length.**

**Story: Six Silver Candles**

**Pairings: Zemyx (main), AkuRoku, SaiXem**

**Chapter Title: Two Flames**

**Song to Listen to: Broken – Lifehouse;; Shattered – O.A.R.**

**Word Count: 1966**

**Warning, Shounen Ai, angst, self mutilation, swearing**

_**Italics**_**: actual diary**

"**Quotes": speech**

'_**Italicized quotes'**_**: thought**

}{}{}{

Z€XIØN

Thursday the 14th, August 2008,  
12:13 p.m.

'_If I wasn't insane before, I definitely am now…_' A thought floats through my head. I'm sitting up in my hospital bed, strapped down like a nutcase, watching a really _bad_ soap opera. Who's bright idea was it to let me slowly rot and die? Oh, yeah… That would be Axel. Gods love the kid, but _still_.

Demyx and Axel had visited me earlier. I think Roxas was with them, but I couldn't tell. I couldn't handle talking to them, seeing their faces… So I pretended to sleep and they kept me company. They left about a half and hour ago for food, I think. When they first got here, though, Demyx nearly shattered my façade.

As soon as they walked in the room, I heard somebody drop to the floor, sobbing. Axel offered some comforting words and basically told Roxas to get lost. The blonde didn't seem to care all that much, though. I couldn't tell if Demyx's cries were jubilant or devastated. Relieved that I was alive, or heartbroken that I was in this state. I can't imagine how horrible I look.

I remember the feeling of Demyx's hands on mine, even though they're long gone. They were so warm, or maybe I'm just cold. I want to cross my arms. I want to cross them and sink down into the bed and disappear. But I can't. I can't even lay on my side, and I'm beginning to feel sick from laying on my back. I can't even press the freaking call button. I want water. My throat hurts so badly.

My eyes snap to the door as the handle turns. I decide against pretending to sleep, again, and turn my attention back to the TV. This is torture… Couldn't they have left the remote in reach? I feel even sicker with dread as the door opens. I smash my head back into the pillow, looking at the ceiling. My eyes are filling with tears that I don't want to spill. I chance a glimpse over at the door, instantly regretting it.

Demyx takes on the expression of a deer in headlights. He drops whatever he's holding and he's by my side before I even see him move. He drops to his knees beside me, looking at me with tears in his eyes. I can't look at him; I glance over his shoulder at Axel. He's hugging Roxas - who, in turn, has his arms around the pyro – with his head buried in the shorter one's shoulder. Judging by how his body is trembling, the redhead's crying.

"Gods, Zex, you scared us all so much," Demyx motors off, quickly. He buries his head into the sheets and rested a hand on mine. I watch with wide eyes as his form suddenly starts shaking. '_I made Demyx cry… And I can't even hug him…_' It hits me like a ton of bricks. The wind escapes my lungs as if I've been punched in the gut. I can't breathe. My heart starts going into overdrive and I don't know what to do.

"D-de-em, 'm so so-sor-ry," I say, in broken speech, trying not to let the tears in my eyes escape. Demyx looks up and I can't hold it in anymore. Every thing I'd been holding in, everything that I never let out, exploded all at once. I feel a hand on my face and I open my eyes, another sob ripping through my chest and escaping my lips. I feel too open, too vulnerable for this. I need the comfort of a fetal position – a stance that is impossible with these stupid straps.

"Zex, calm down. Breathe," another voice tells me suddenly. My tear-clouded eyes snap to another face. Axel's eyes are puffy and red, but he wears a concerned mask. I look down a little. Roxas is looking at me with kind eyes, no pity present – only sympathy. I let a minute smile grace my lips through the tears. But it erases as soon as it appears, replaced by a look of pain.

"I-i… ca-can't…" I gasp between sobs. Cold hands are on my forehead suddenly.

"God, Zex, you're burning up!" Axel exclaims. "Rox, go get a nurse!" Everything happens in slow motion, I hear the flat beep, but I'm still alive. The heart monitor says I'm dead, but I'm fully aware of everything that's going on around me. Suddenly, the pain engulfs me. A shock breaks through my chest and I gasp for air. The monitor is still a flat line. Another shock. This, time, I scream. The electric shocks from what I can only imagine are the paddles travel through my body and reach whatever is tying me down. They return up my arms, tingling every part of my body. This feeling is beyond any pain I've ever felt.

"What did you just do to him?" An enraged voice bellows. The straps are released and I immediately curl up into a ball, shaking and sobbing.

"No…" I whisper as somebody touches my shoulder. My legs are tingling numbly, as if they're just waking up from falling asleep. Another hand touches my shoulder, more firm this time.

"Zexion, we need to do some tests to figure out what hap- " a doctor begins.

"NO!" I scream, pushing away the hand and pulling my legs closer to my chest. "How can you _dare_ call me mentally unsound when you have no idea what I've been through?" I begin darkly, my voice shaking. "How can you think that I do this all to myself? You didn't believe a word my friends said when they told you the _truth_? I swear to God, I will sue this hospital for every bit of money you own if you so much as touch me. I want to go home. I want you to leave. Me. Alone." I finish with an empty glare, keeping my arms tightly wound around myself.

"Mr. –" A nurse starts to address me. I fly up out of my comfort position and glare.

"Do you want to know what I can sue you for?" I growl. "Misdiagnosis. Patient safety. And you just freaking _electrocuted_ me. I want – no – I _demand_ a release. I don't care how long you birdbrains grovel or try to – quote unquote – 'help' me. I. Will. Sue. Now, leave me the hell alone. No tests, to questions. Leave." Without a word, the nurses and doctor file out, ushering in three welcoming faces. I now feel the tears leaking down my face. It seems I was crying the entire time I was speaking.

Demyx is the first to wrap his arms around me. I'm not sobbing anymore, but I the tears are still flowing freely.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry," I tell them, burying my face into my friend's shoulder. He runs his fingers through my hair and tells me to shut up, laughing slightly.

"S'not your fault, Zex," Axel replies kindly, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Oh, Axel, I'm so sorry. I promised you… And then, I go and do this…." I look up at him, lost. He shakes his head and sits next to me on the bed. I feel so small, so helpless. Still shuddering, I pull my knees to my chest and lean against Demyx's chest. I inhale deeply and revel in his scent. '_I missed this most…_' I think, dreamily, smiling slightly. His arms rewrap around me in a tight hug.

**Tuesday the 19th August 2008, 4:13 p.m.**

"Welcome home, Zexy!" Demyx exclaims, tackling me in a hug. I grunt in response and pull his arms off of me. My back is sore and my head hurts.

"Not so loud, Dem," Axel warns him, gently. It's been five days since I woke up and they finally let me go home. I, of course, apologized for my rude behavior. The doctor accepted it and the nurses said that they understood, forgiving me completely. I got along well with them and was slightly sad to leave. But, now that I'm home, I'm perfectly fine with leaving them behind.

The only thing I don't like about being home is that I have to go to a therapist every other day after school, and I have a period in school now that I have to talk to my guidance counselor. It was the only compromise under which they'd let me go home.

"Sorry," Demyx tells me sheepishly. I shake my head, and sigh.

"I'm tired," I say, quietly. These days have taken a toll on me and I just want to sleep. I see the worry in Demyx's face, though. "I'll wake up, Demyx. Don't worry," I reassure him, placing a hand on his shoulder. I walk to the living room of my house and crash on the couch. "Put on a movie," I order lazily, waving my hand in the air.

"Whaddaya wanna watch, Zexy?" Demyx asks me, kneeling down in front of my DVD cabinet.

"Something," I reply bluntly. Axel rolls his eyes and sighs, sitting in the armchair next to the couch. He pulls Roxas down on his lap. The blonde has been quiet for some time. No doubt, he's contemplating something. Then again, the blonde is always stoic and silent, only inserting a glare as his communication.

Demyx puts some DVD in the player and sits down by my head. I slide down the couch, using Demyx's bony leg as a pillow. I curl my legs into my chest and look at the TV. The opening for Nightmare Before Christmas starts and I smile broadly. Only Demyx would know what movie would sincerely cheer me.

"Hey, Ax, can I sleep over tonight? I don't want to deal with my dad." It's hard at first to say this out loud, but I remember that there are no more secrets between the three of us.

"Well, Rox was already going to. D'you mind, Roxy?" The redhead asks, looking down at his boyfriend.

"I don't mind," the blonde says, not taking his eyes from the screen. Axel looks back at me and nods. "Hey, why don't we make it a party? Can Demyx come, too? It'll be like a… I dunno… A welcome home party." The stoic blonde finishes quietly. I nod, smiling.

"Sounds fun to me. I mean, I'd hope you'd invite me. I _do_ live there..." Demyx tells Axel, with a smile. The pyro nods, grinning and wrapping his arms around Roxas. The blonde turns his head and Axel deviously catches the smaller teen's lips with his own. I look away as they start face sucking and turn my attention back to the movie.

"Hey, Demyx?" I begin quietly, turning on my back and looking up at my friend.

"Yeah?" He returns cautiously. I grab his hand gently and twine my fingers with his.

"Thank you," I reply with a smile. He blushes and smiles, nodding in response.

"Any time, Zex, any time," he sighs, looking back up at the TV. I do the same, keeping our hands together. I snuggle closer to him, hoping he doesn't mind. He props his feet up on the coffee table and slouches down next to me, resting his arm comfortably on my side. Our intertwined hands are resting on my hip. A small smile creeps across my face and I feel myself blush.

**A/N: So, there. I could've made this one two different chapters, but I didn't. I've officially revised this story to have happy ending. Well, not so much happy as it is **_**not **_**depressing. Two more chapters to go, baby! I can't wait to finish this and move on to the sequel. It's going to be good, bitches~!**

**As always, reviews speed up the process!!!**


	6. One Flame

**A/N: Wow, this series is coming to a close; this and one more chapter before I restart the sequel. I've rethought the original plan and now the two chapters I wrote are obsolete. The sequel will be less depressing, more focusing on Demy and Zexy maintaining their relationship. The next will also have more AkuRoku, for those that wish it so.  
This chapter… Weeelllll, I added some characters. They're not OCs, so no worries. Just some Marly and Larxy and Xiggy and Xally and Luxy and Nami. AAAAAND the rest of the organization… Only awesomer. So, sorry if half this chapter is me describing their awesomeniscity. I enjoy making up new words. Lol, I've had a really bad week and I wanted to be happy. So, this chapter is long and crack filled, but it makes sense (kind of).  
The next chapter is a bit of an epilogue. I dunno. It works. Wow, I'm tired. I finished this chapter on the way to visit my sister at her college. Much fun fun. Lol, my iPod's draining my laptop battery. XDDD**

**{{DISCLAMER FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS FIC!!!!!}} **

**Loser: **_**Zexy, care to do the honors?**_

**Emo Child o' Death: **_**Loser doesn't own us. As much as she wishes she did.**_

**Story: Six Silver Candles**

**Pairings: Zemyx (main), AkuRoku, SaiXem**

**Chapter Title: One Flame**

**Song to Listen to: Believe – Staind;; Duality – Bayside **

**Word Count: 4, 021**

**Warning, Shounen Ai, swearing, hyperactive {AKA ooc} Zexion, Epically long chapter…**

_**Italics**_**: actual diary**

"**Quotes": speech**

'_**Italicized quotes'**_**: thought**

Friday the 21st, August 2008, 6:13 p.m.

∂€M¥X

So… On Tuesday, Zex and Roxas slept over. Then, Axel goes and invites us over for Friday – well, today… However, it ends up being more than just Axel, Roxas, and me. This welcome home party has turned into a house party. But Axel seems to respect the fact that Zexion isn't exactly his best; there's no booming music or alcohol – much to the displeasure of some of his and Roxy's friends.

Marluxia is the first to appear. I've met all of these people before, but they never cease to surprise me. Marluxia is a tall, skinny guy about our age with mane of bright pink hair. As he shows up to the door, he's wearing tight black pants, a white tank top, and black beret. And when I say tight, I mean _tight_. So much so that it makes me wonder if he really is a guy. That or he proves that tape is a very useful tool. He greets Axel with a two-cheeked kiss, spouting something in French and being a total retard.

I see Roxas roll his eyes dramatically, trying to attract attention away from the red hue burning his face.

'_Jealous, much?_' I laugh, watching as Marluxia bounds into the living room where Zexion is laying down, watching TV. I cringe at the thought of what he could do to the poor boy. Shaking my head, I continue on my way to the kitchen. I root through Axel's cupboards and produce a large glass. I open the fridge and my jaw drops. There're too many different kinds of sodas to count. Dazed, I walk back to the living room. Zexion looks up expectantly.

"What do you _want _to drink…?" I ask, blinking.

"I told you: whatever is there." He replies, pouting slightly. "Or is your memory that bad?" I know it's only a joke, but my heart twinges at the jeer.

"That's exactly it… There's everything in there…" I inform him, almost helplessly. He sighs, a smile evident on his face, and grabs my arm. He pulls me into the kitchen weakly and opens the refrigerator again. His jaw drops, too.

"Okay, so…" He trails off with a blank look on his face. He suddenly breaks out in a grin, grabbing a two-liter of Mountain Dew.

I look at him, amazed. Within the time that I've been here, Axel says he's changed so much. Apparently, before I arrived, he was completely silent and deadly. Just in the past two days in which he's returned to school, he's been smiling so much it hurts _my _face. His change has been surreal. The five days in the hospital when he was actually awake were almost like a dream. If not for the reason why he was in that hospital bed, it would've been enjoyable.

And it's not like the change is unnatural; they haven't given him any meds. He doesn't get those until they decide that he needs them. And, from what I've seen, he won't.

Instead of pouring himself a cup, Zexion hugs the bottle to his chest and shuffles back to the living room. He collapses to the couch with a giant grin on his face. I groan inwardly as I see Axel and Roxas sucking face against the hallway wall.

"Get a room," Marluxia drawls, sounding quite bored. Axel's green eyes brighten. He pulls away from his boyfriend's mouth and grins widely, grabbing Roxas's hand. The blonde yelps, glaring at the pink haired teenager. Marly merely grins. I roll my eyes and make a 'gag' gesture with my finger as Axel pulls Roxas up the stairs.

The doorbell rings and I reach it before Marluxia, thankfully. I wrench it open to reveal Xigbar and Xaldin. I can't help but smile. True, they're in college, but they've been Axel's friends since he was a freshman. They've also grown to be my close friends. Both are stunningly tall, but Xigbar's a bit lankier than Xaldin. Xally has dark brown hair, braided into dreadlocks, and sideburns like you wouldn't believe. Xiggy has black hair that he always keeps in a ponytail. He has a streak of white through his hair and wears an eye patch. He's been doing so as long as I've known him – I don't know the story behind it, though.

As usual, they're both wearing loose fitting black pants and black band t-shirts. Xigbar's screams KoRn and Xaldin's is a much more controlled array of neon monster guts, boasting Mindless Self Indulgence. I smile as they both tackle me in a hug.

"Hi, Xig, Xally," I grate out; they're cutting off my air circulation. They both pat my head and smile. "Go find Axel, I shouldn't be the one greeting his guests. He went up the steps with Roxy. Be careful…" I warned gravely, pushing them in the direction of the staircase.

Xaldin grins maliciously, lacing his fingers together eagerly. He grabs Xigbar by the ponytail and pulls him up the stairs. I grin widely and lean against the wall, peering into the living room. Zexion is crammed into the corner of the couch, as far away from Marluxia as possible. Said pink haired pedophile is gazing at Zexion hungrily. Or rather, he's staring at the bottle clutched to the small teenager's chest. I shake my head and sigh as the doorbell rings again.

This time, there are two girls at the door. I greet Larxene cautiously, smiling while doing so. She glares at me and I flinch out of her way as she walks through the door, the antennae of her short, gelled hair, bouncing slightly. She slinks past, looking threatening and quite pissed off, wearing tight gray flare jeans, a black t-shirt, a leather jacket, and a dark expression. I watch as she goes into the living room. With a sigh, I turn to the shorter blonde. Her hair is shoulder length and cut in layers.

"Hi, Nami," I greet with a grin. She walks in slowly, her drawing books and a pencil clutched to her chest, covering the white t-shirt she's wearing. "Hey you're wearing the pants we got you for your birthday!" I exclaim. Naminé smiles, nodding.

"I love them." The pants in question are a pair of light wash jeans covered in sharpie drawings and quotes that Axel and I made when he came to visit me in Oblivion once. I'd met Naminé about a month after that. I'd known who the pants were for when we were making them simply because I'd talked to Nami on the phone constantly and e-mailed her as much as I did Axel. We were friends before we even met face-to-face.

"The living room seems to be the popular hang-out, so, if ya wanna head over there, go ahead," I tell her, closing the door gently. As Nami goes into the living room, I hear an extremely funny 'conversation.'

"WHOA MY GOD AXEL!" Comes a voice from upstairs.

"I'LL SAVE YOU ROXY!" Another voice yells. Xaldin comes thundering down the stairs, carrying a traumatized looking Roxas. I raise my eyebrows and blink several times.

"Uhhhh, Xal…din?" The dazed blonde starts, swaying slightly. I laugh, taking the short one out of Xaldin's grip. I lead him into the living room, forcing him to sit down in an armchair. "What… Just happened?" He asks me. I grin.

"I asked Xaldin and Xiggy to get your hubby for me, 'cause I don't want to be greeting his guests," I told him as if I was talking to a small child. Roxas pouts, crossing his arms.

"He's not my hubby," he replies childishly, blushing like a tomato. I smile and chuckle.

"Riiiiiight, little man. 'Cause you're totally not the lady in this relationship," Larxene snorts, her blonde eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Shut uuuuup," Roxas whines, dropping his head in his hands.

"DAMNIT!" A new voice yells from upstairs. "Xigbar! Get your scarred ass back here!" Axel yelled following a sprinting Xigbar down the steps and out the door. The redhead streaks past, silver lighter in hand and a dangerous glow in his green eyes. All of us in the living room are silent, listening to Axel yell obscenities at Xigbar as he chases the other around his yard. A light knock sounds on the door and I look around the corner. The door is wide open and Vexen is standing there, his long hair held back in a ponytail.

"Demyx? Oh, I see Axel's… busy… Can you tell him that Lexaeus and I won't be able to actually stay? We have a convention to go to that our professor just told us about," he explains. I nod and tell him that I'll take care of it. As he leaves, my phone vibrates. I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion.

"Anybody know this number?" I ask, reading it aloud.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Zexion replies, oddly hyper. He sits up on his knees and starts bouncing slightly. Not enough to create a soda bomb, but enough to be absolutely adorable. "That's Sai-chan's number, that is," he says, nodding. He holds the two-liter back up to his lips and takes a long drink. When he pulls it away, he grins and wipes his mouth. I nod, perplexed at the change and open the text.

_Xemnas and I are… Busy… Tell Axel we won't be able to make it…_

"Who's Xemnas?" I continue. "And how'd Saïx get my number?"

"Sai-chan's aunt's friend's brother's son. And his boyfriend. 'Nd he pro'ly stole my phone one day and got your number… He's overprotective of me and maybe wanted to be able to reach whoever I hang out with constantly," Zexion tells me, his eyes wide and innocent. "Maybe, I dunno… Sai-chan's weird like that."

"O…kay…" I nod.

I blink and text back an okay. Sighing, I shut the front door and return to the living room, plopping down next to Zexion. Within a second of sitting down, Zexion is suddenly straddling me, still holding the bottle of soda to his chest. I freeze, not knowing what to do in a situation like this.

"Zex… What are you doing?" I ask, my eyes slightly wide.

"You're comfy," he says, leaning forward and resting his head on the crook of my neck. He nuzzles my neck lovingly. I look around the room, a questioning look on my face. Surprisingly, Larxene's smiling softly, Marly's also smiling, Roxas is still pouting but he nods at me, and Naminé is covering her mouth to hide her melodic laugh.

"Looks like Zexy's found himself a boy toy," Xaldin sniggers. I blush deeply. I hold in a moan as the petite teenager's tongue flits across my collarbone. My eyes are still wide. It's not that I don't like Zexion, quite the contrary. But I don't know what he's doing. It could be the soda, it could be just _him_. I put my hands on his shoulders and push back lightly, looking Zexion in the face. He pouts cutely, dropping the bottle of Mountain Dew and crossing his arms across his chest. I can't hold in my squeal of joy; he looks so irresistibly huggable! I wrap my arms around him and hug him tightly to my chest. I can feel him smiling against me.

"You can't trust that cretin when he's under the influence," Larxene say warily. "Be careful."

"Influence?" I question, glancing down at the giggling teenager.

"Anything caffeinated makes that kid loopy," Xaldin explained. I feel my face droop, sadly. "Hey, don't fret kid. You know, when that happens, it just heightens the emotions the person already feels. Besides, he remembers what happens." I relax and sigh, letting Zexion snuggle against me. "And, sure as Marly's not wearing underwear, he realizes everything he's doing right now." I look over at Marluxia. He raises his eyebrows and unzips his pants slightly, pulling the flap away to reveal bare skin. I blush and grin, letting my arms slide down around Zexion's waist. He's still straddling me, making me feel awkward, but elated at the same time. As I look up again, I'm relieved to see that everybody has returned to his or her own conversations. Except Roxas, who is looking out the window forlornly. No doubt, he's lamenting over Axel.

"Demyyyyx," Zexion drawls quietly, wrapping his arms around my neck.

"Hm?" I return as he lays his head between my collarbones.

"You're a comfy pillow," he tells me, looking up at me. His grey eyes are bold and shining with a light that I've never seen before. He looks genuinely _happy_.

"Thanks, I think, Zexy," I reply, blushing lightly. He just smiles and sighs, giving me one more squeeze around the neck and rolling to the side. He flops down on the couch and leans on me, curling his legs up. Xigbar comes sprinting back in, jumping over the couch and dropping to the floor just as Axel stalks in behind him. The redhead is glaring and huffing loudly, his shoulders hunched menacingly. The lighter in his had is flicking on and off.

"Axel!" A voice exclaims and suddenly, the pyro is on the floor with a pink-haired teenager leeched to his side. "How dare you chase poor, poor Xiggy!?" Marluxia squeaks, pulling the lighter from Axel's gloved hand. The redhead struggles against Marluxia as the beanpole straddles his waist. Axel's eyes are wide and scared and he's pressing himself to the floor as if he'll disappear if he tries hard enough. I grin as Roxas appears behind Marluxia, out of nowhere.

The blonde has that anime-style shadow over his eyes, an evil purple aura surrounding him. He taps Marluxia's shoulder slowly. The pink-haired idiot turns his head. Upon spotting Roxas, he rockets off of Axel and hides behind a conveniently placed expensive vase. Axel pops up off the ground and hides behind Roxas, his hands visibly shaking.

I laugh and raise my eyebrows as Roxas turns, grabs Axel's hand and pulls him back to the armchair he'd been sitting in. Said blonde pushes his boyfriend down and sits on his lap territorially. Crossing his arms, Roxas glares at Marluxia. Axel wraps his arms around Roxas's waist and pulls the shorter one closer. He whispers something into his ear and grins. Roxas smiles, a light blush on his cheeks. He leans his head back and says something back to Axel. Both laugh and snuggle closer to each other.

"Well now…" Xigbar states, standing up from his splattered position on the ground. Axel glares at him quickly and sticks his tongue out. As if to prove a point, he slides a hand from Roxas's waist to the teen's thigh, obscenely close to his crotch. Roxas blushes fifty thousand shades of red, but still smiles. We all watch their silent staring contest with eager eyes.

"Demyx," I hear a small voice call my name and feel a tug on my sleeve. I look down at Zexion, who's staring up at me with wide eyes. "I wanna do something…"

"What do you want to do, Zex?" I return with a smile. His cheeks turn pink. Still holding on to my sleeve, he pulls me down and leans up at the same time.

"This." He replies, pressing his lips to mine. I'm frozen for a split second, then I kiss him back, slightly. Zexion's lips are soft and warm, much unlike his usual demeanor. I feel his arms snake back up around my neck. I hear a few catcalls and a wolf whistle.

"Damn, we haven't even played truth or dare, yet!" A voice – Axel – says. I blush and Zexion pulls himself away from my lips, a small smile on his face. He blushes scarlet and looks down.

"Sorry, Dem… I – " I cut him off by placing a peck on his lips.

"Don't apologize, Zexy," I tell him quietly, just so he can hear. It's stuck in the back of my mind that this could all backfire tomorrow, but I don't care. I ignore it and smile as he hugs me again.

The doorbell rings, drawing everybody's attention away from us, and conversely, Axel and Roxas. Seeing as the two are lip-locked and completely unaware that there still are people in the room, Marluxia skips over to the door.

"Luxy!!!" He exclaims as he opens the door. Said gambler groans and holds a hand to his head.

"I'm not here to stay," he replies quickly in his (A/N: oh-so-sexy) British accent. "I just wanted to drop by and see Zexion, okay? Speaking of which, where is the little devil?" He asks. Within seconds, Zexion leaps up and bounds over the back of the couch. "Who gave him soda?" He asks, deadpanned. All fingers suddenly point to me. Luxord glares at me, then at the little bundle of Zexion that is attached to his arm. He sighs and pries the midget off of him. "Where's your gracious host?" Luxord rolls his eyes.

"Over there, sucking face, as usual," Larxene replies, not looking up from the game of solitaire she's playing. Marluxia returns to the living room, looming over her shoulder. Again, Luxord sighs and rolls his eyes, picking up the TV remote off of the coffee table and throwing it at Axel's head. The redhead jumps and yelps, holding his head and mouth. Roxas is leaning forward, clutching his mouth, also. Both glare up at Luxord.

"You idiot!" Axel yells. "I don't care if you hit me with the damn remote, but try to do it when nobody's attached to my face."

"If you say so," Luxord replies, taking the DVD player remote in hand and tossing it idly at Axel's head. It hits the pyro's forehead this time and he lets out a whine of protest.

"I wasn't serious~!" He moans, letting his head flop onto Roxas's shoulder. Roxas grabs one of Axel's hands and holds it soothingly.

"You shouldn't be letting a French pedophile answer your door, dumbass," Luxord states blankly. Axel just shrugs and keeps his head in Roxas's neck.

"Demyx," a voice says in my ear. I jump at the unexpected voice, a chuckle coming from the owner of said voice. "C'mere," it adds, pulling on my sleeve. I do exactly as Zexion did before and hop over the back of the couch. I land, none-too-gracefully, on my feet and follow Zexion into the kitchen. He hops up on the counter and beckons me over.

"Hm?" I ask, walking over to him. He looks at me soberly, his eyes honest and innocently wide. I stand in front of him and he pulls me closer until our faces are almost touching.

"You know that I know what I'm doing, right?" Zexion tells me, looking straight into my eyes. I nod. "I really do like you, Demyx," he says, his eyes flickering down, then back up to mine. "I don't even know… Why, I guess," he continues. "I don't deserve you, and you don't deserve to have somebody as messed up as me. But I still like you, a lot. And I'm sorry if you don't feel the same w – " I've had enough; I place my hands on either side of his legs on the counter top and lean forward, cutting him off with a kiss. I pull away slightly.

"I like you, too," I reply, whispering against his lips. Zexion leans forward and captures my lips in his again. He wraps his arms up around my neck and threads his fingers through my hair. My hands slide into his hips, as though I have no control over my actions. I feel his legs wrap around my waist and I almost pass out from the contact. Though he's so much smaller than me, it's obvious that he'd be the dominant one in our relationship.

A tongue passes over my bottom lip, a key card of sorts. My mouth opens automatically and a tongue wanders in. This new feeling is so pleasant; it sends a shiver down my spine. The first flavor I get is the sickening sweetness that it Mountain Dew. However, as the kiss deepens and Zexion leans forward over me, tilting my head to side to gain easier entrance, I taste tea and chocolate. Neither of which I would expect the small teenager to taste like, but it fits him. I feel my eyes slip closed and my hands slide up to his waist, pulling him flush against me – as if we could be any closer.

"Hey, where'd Z – Oh…" I hear somebody say. They sound too far away for me to actually care.

"Oh, so you yell at me n' Rox, but you don't yell at them?" Another person speaks indignantly. I can't think of names, or faces, really. I can't associate the faces with anything. My mind is filled with bliss and Zexion.

"No, not at all. Why would I stop _them_? I've never seen Zex look so happy and I'm his brother," the first voice replies.

"Not technically," The seconds voice returns, sounding stuck up.

"Yes, technically, we have the same father, idiot," Voice One replies.

"Yeah, 'cept _your_ mom got sexed up overseas," a third voice interjects, a bite in his voice that I can't place.

"Do you want me to snap your neck, pretty boy?" The first threatens.

I tune them out and turn my mind back to Zexion. Finally, we have to pull away for air. Even when we do, Zex keeps his face close to mine. He lets his forehead fall to my shoulder, moving his arms from around my neck. He tucks his arms between our chests and snuggles closer to me, his legs still wrapped around my waist.

Again, not having control over my own body, I lean my head down and rest my cheek against his temple, my mouth just at his ear. He shivers as my breath hits his ear. I hear him giggle. He gasps when I graze my teeth over the soft flesh of his earlobe.

"Demyx, stop it," he whines quietly, half-heartedly; I don't listen. I leave his ear, though, and trail kisses down his neck, reaching a hand up to brush away his hair. My lips latch onto his skin and act on their own. I feel Zexion shake underneath me and smile. I pull my lips off his neck as he picks his head up, looking at me with half-lidded eyes. One of his arms squeezes it's way out and he grabs the back of my head, pulling me back down to kiss him. This kiss, however, is different than the other that we shared.

This one is filled with some sort of emotion that I've never felt before. It's not lust, that much I know. But it's a sort of need that seems almost desperate. It makes my eyes prick with tears. There's no tongue this time, which is all right with me, surprisingly. When we pull away, I see that Zexion's crying as well. Only his tears are big crocodile tears that make me feel almost hopeless as I look at him. He smiles through them, though, and wraps both of his arms around my neck.

I slip my arms around him again and hold him to my chest, resting my head on top of his. I don't know why he's crying, but I have a pretty decent idea.

Z€X¡ØN

_Saturday the 22__nd__, August 2008, 6:25 p.m._

_I've never felt so happy in my life. I met my dad in the doctor's office earlier for my appointment and he started yelling at me. He ended up hitting me, too. The office's security cameras caught it on tape, too. My dad's finally going to get the justice he deserves – years upon years in prison. And, since we were there when it happened, I ended up telling my therapist everything – absolutely everything: the abuse, the cutting, the hopelessness, and, most recently, my feelings for Demyx._

_Surprisingly, the lady talked me through everything and helped me. Tears were shed and voices were raised at points, but I feel so much better. My life might actually be turning out good for once. _

_I can't say I regret what I did because it led me to Demyx. Because of him, I think I might begin to enjoy life more._

_I'm going over to Axel's now. Axel, Roxas, Demyx and I are going to see a movie. I don't know which one, yet. Until next time~_


	7. Burn Out

**A/N: Wow, last chapter, yo! And I'm starting it at lunch at my ever-faithful high school~!  
Y'know, they say that high school is supposed to be the best years of your life. So far… no. I'm failing three classes, I almost broke my leg, ankle, and wrist at the same time, my girlfriend broke up with me to go out with a GUY, and so, so, so, so much more.**

***epic hatred***

**But seriously, yeah! Anyway. This chappie's an epilogue. The sequel will be their life at college. I'm not sure if imma have them all go to the same place, but I think that's how it's gonna go down. Anywhoooooo. So, those of you who reviewed or faved, thank you muchly. **

**OH, OH, OH! Next story, we meet Sora and Riku~! And pretty much a lot more people. Tis funny. There is also much AkuRoku drama. Pretty much… Ah, well, I won't tell you. So, now…**

**GO FORTH AND READ, FAITHFUL MINIONS!!!! Zexy, care to do the honors?**

**Emo Child o' Death: **_**Loser doesn't own us. Or Kingdom Hearts, or Final Fantasy. Or anything, really, except a crappy drawing notebook and a few pencils…**_

**Story: Six Silver Candles**

**Pairings: Zemyx (main), AkuRoku, SaiXem**

**Chapter Title: Burn Out**

**Song to Listen to: Doubt & Trust - Access**

**Word Count: 4,180**

**Warning, Shounen Ai, swearing, hyperactive {AKA ooc} Zexion, Epically long chapter…**

_**Italics**_**: actual diary**

"**Quotes": speech**

'_**Italicized quotes'**_**: thought**

Wednesday the 8th, April 2009, 4:30 p.m.

Z€X¡ØN

I look at myself in the mirror and, for a second, I ask myself 'who are you?' But I realize that that's not a negative question. Every time I think it, a smile appears on my face. I look no different than the beginning of the year, but somehow, I _am_ different. My hair is still that odd purple-ish grey color and my skin in still whiter than paper and I'm still too skinny, but I look… Happy.

I adjust the tie around my neck and sigh, reaching my hands up to pull back my hair. I tie it in a loose ponytail with a black ribbon given to me by Demyx. He gave it to me on my birthday; it was what he used to wrap the box. I had cut off a piece and saved it, being the sentimental idiot that I am.

With a small scowl as a few strands of my bangs fall back in my face, I grab my glasses off of the top of my mirror and slide them on my face. I turn on my heel and grab my graduation gown off of my bed. I'm out my bedroom door and down the stairs without a second thought. When I reach the bottom of the staircase, I drop my gown on the bench in the foyer and turn into the kitchen. My breath stops and I jump at the unexpected sight of _people_.

Sure as Axel's wearing a pair of Chuck's instead of dress shoes, Demyx, Marluxia and Roxas are in my kitchen, seemingly waiting for somebody. Demyx looks up and his face brightens. He's out of his chair at the table before I take one more step. Demyx practically tackles me.

"I missed you, Zexy!" He exclaimed, pressing his face to my hair. Despite myself, I wrap my arms around him, also.

"It's been an hour, Dem," I reply, a smile growing on my face.

"I know," he replies, grinning ear-to-ear and grabbing my hand. He pulls me down onto his lap as he sits back down.

"Just out of curiosity, what the hell are you guys doing in my kitchen?" I ask, lacing my fingers together with Demyx's.

"Blame Axel. He wanted to come get you and let himself – and us – in with the spare key," Roxas explains, looking thoroughly pissed off.

"Whoa, Roxy, what's with the attitude?" Marluxia asks, raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow.

"He's just pissed 'cause his parents are away and today's graduation," another voice answers as Roxas opens his mouth. Axel walks in the doorway, holding a case of old-fashioned coke bottles. (I look down; he _is_ wearing Converse.)

"It's not that!" The smaller teenager says, letting his head drop in his hands as Axel sits down next to him. "It's just that they said they'd be here… I was stupid to believe them, eh?" He mumbles into his palms. Axel sets the case on the table and passes a bottle to each of us, taking a bottle opener out of his pocket. The redhead slides his chair closer to Roxas's and stretches an arm across the smaller one's shoulders. Roxas keeps his head down and leans into Axel's side.

"You weren't stupid, babe," he replies quietly. Marluxia busies himself with opening his bottle, and failing pretty horribly. Demyx and I ignore him; we're in our own little world.

Demyx rests his chin on my shoulder and I turn my head. The corners of our lips are barely touching. Demyx smiles, making me smile back.

"Can you believe we're graduating, Zexy?" He breathes. My smile turns more serene as I inhale. Demyx's breath smells minty fresh. I let a small giggle escape my lips; he just brushed his teeth, I'm sure.

"No," I return, turning my head a little bit more, my body going with it to make the motion easier. In an instant, our lips meet in a slight, chaste kiss. Demyx continues smiling as he pulls away and taking a hand from my own. He pulls over two bottles and grabs the bottle opener sharply from Marluxia, who now has a bleeding finger and has most likely popped a blood vessel. I hold each bottle while Demyx pops the tops off with ease.

I glance up at Axel and Roxas, surprised to see the smaller one straddling Axel's lap, though they're not doing anything sexual. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Roxas has his arms limply at his sides and I see his small frame shaking. Axel, on the other hand, has his arms tightly around his boyfriend, whispering something in his ear and rubbing his back.

Feeling rather rude, I look down at my hands, both of which are back in Demyx's possession.

"Dem…" I start, leaning back and letting my head flop back onto his shoulder. He turns his head, getting a stabbed in the face by the corner of my glasses. I laugh as he lets out a squeak and jumps in his seat.

"Zexion! So not funny!" He exclaims, though he's laughing, himself.

"Yeah… Demy, dear, it kind of _was_," Marluxia says, suddenly, still trying to take the cap off his bottle. Demyx points a one-eyed glare at Marly and sticks his tongue out.

"AXEL!" Roxas suddenly erupts laughing, and we turn our head to look at the two. Axel is grinning like a fool, his green eyes shining with victory. "You fucking _perv_," he adds, quieter and sounding slightly seductive.

"Only for you, love," the redhead replies, wiggling his eyebrows and poking Roxas in the middle of his forehead. Finally, the air isn't so depressed anymore and I sit up straight.

"Oh!" I mumble to myself. I move my legs so I'm kneeling on Demyx's lap and lean across the table.

"Whoa! Ass in the _face_!" Demyx exclaims. I look back over my shoulder.

"I know you don't mind, Dem," I reply with a smirk. He blushes slightly. "And you _know_ you wish you could get a piece of it," I finish, my eyes taking on an evil gleam. His face turns red as a tomato and he hides his face in his hands.

I look back up at Axel, propping elbows up on the table and resting my chin in my hands. The redhead's looking at me, dumbfounded.

"_You're _seme?" He asks, spluttering in disbelief.

"Mhmm," I reply smugly, the ghosts of a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"Never woulda thought, Zex," he muses, letting out a low whistle.

"That's beside the point, Ax. Where'd you get accepted to college?" I ask him my intentional question.

"Hollow Bastian, why?" He tells me, a quizzical look on his face. I ignore his question and turn my attention to Roxas, who is still straddling Axel's legs.

"You?"

"Hollow Bastian…" The blonde answers, flabbergasted. (A/N: I love that word…)

"Marl – Oh…" I start, turn my head to my friend and falter. Marluxia is still struggling to open the damn bottle. "Marly, give me that," I demand, rolling my eyes and grabbing it before he can protest. I pop the lid off easily and slide it back over to him. Marluxia stares at me, eyes wide and mouth agape. I reach over and, using two fingers, push his chin up. "You'll catch flies, MarMar," I say slyly, grinning.

In one swift movement, I turn and sit back down on Demyx's lap. This time, though, my legs are spread and hanging over the sides of his legs. Demyx immediately clasps his arms around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest and stomach. His hands roam over to my hips.

"You're too skinny, Zexy," his voice finds my ear; it's hushed and laced with an emotion that I'm all too familiar with. I shudder and my hands fumble for his.

"Please, Dem, not right now. I just took a shower and graduation's in two hours," I whisper, pleading him to listen. He grins like a fool and is suddenly not seducing me anymore.

"Speaking of which, Zexy, your hair smells really good," Demyx states randomly, his fingers combing through the ponytail on the back of my head.

"Y'know, Zex… You look really good like that," Axel comments absently. I feel the red creeping up on my cheeks and I start playing with Demyx's fingers. "Seriously, you should wear your glasses more often!" He reaches around Roxas and grabs two bottles of Coke from the cardboard case.

"Hey, when're Saïx and Xemmy gonna get here?" Roxas asks, taking the offered bottle. Suddenly, as if in answer to his question, the doorbell rings, a door immediately opening.

"Speak a' the devil…" Demyx starts, a smile on his face.

"And the devil shall come," a voice finishes, chuckling darkly. Saïx and Xemnas turned the corner into the kitchen, both are wearing solid black clothing and their hands are entwined. I've met Xemnas before, but he goes to the private school, so we've never really talked much. He has slightly dark skin, not quite white, but he's not black, either. His hair is a light-ish grey color and it falls in layers on his shoulders. Saïx hasn't changed; he has strikingly long blue hair and piercing yellow eyes. He's not short, but he's not tall either. Xemmy, on the other hand, is almost taller than Axel.

The two enter the kitchen and take seats around the table. Before Saïx can sit, though, Xemnas pulls the smaller one onto his lap. Marluxia snorts, letting his head fall to the table.

"Am I the _only_ straight one left?" He groans into the wood.

"You're straight?" Demyx pipes up. I laugh, Roxas chuckles and Axel snorts Coke out of his nose. Saïx grins widely and Xemnas shakes with silent laughter.

"Yes, Demyx. I am attracted to _only_ the female anatomy," he replies, deadpan. Demyx blushes and I smile, rubbing his hand and nuzzling my head under his chin.

"Hey, Zex," Saïx starts, a smile growing on his wolfish face. I look up at him, eyes wide and questioning behind thick-framed glasses. "You look like a chibi brain. It's really cute," he finishes with an eye-wrinkling smile. My face droops and I feel my lip twitch.

"I'm _not_ cute," I reply, almost growling. I stand up and shuffle over to my pantry, opening the door and leaning on it. The shelves are well stocked, but nothing is really interesting me. Since everything earlier this year, I've been living on my own. There was never a huge court case over my dad. He confessed to all of the crimes and got off with forty years in prison with no chance of parole. I didn't like that, but it's better than nothing.

Sighing, I grab a box of Pop Tarts and obtain a package of frosted strawberry. I'm not even remotely hungry, but I know I should eat something. I walk back over to the table and sit on Demyx's lap. I break off a piece of the Pop Tart, then hold another out to my boyfriend. He opens his mouth and I smile, sticking it in. He closes his mouth around my fingers, making me blush. I pull my hand away and he pushes the rest of the pastry into his mouth.

∂€M¥X

I can't help but watch Zexion as he stands up. He walks to the pantry – he almost looks like he's dancing, the way his hips sway effortlessly. I wonder if he realizes that he does that? I sigh happily as I remember that he's all mine. The black jeans he's wearing are probably a size zero, and they're still loose on him. His shirt's just the perfect size, though: probably a youth medium at Hot Topic.

He practically rips open the door, glaring at the shelves. At first, I think he's angry, but then I realize that he's just flustered from the compliments. I resist the urge to tell him that he's beautiful and to wrap my arms around him and kiss him. He sits back down on me and shoves a piece of Pop Tart into my mouth.

I grin, not only at the fact that I successfully managed to make him blush, but also at the fact that he's actually eating without being told to. Zexion's gotten so much better. He's smiling and laughing and he's been so… happy, I guess would be the word. I can't help but let my eyes wander over his wrists. There are still prominent scars, but most have faded away. Some will probably be there forever.

"Hel-lo?? Earth to DemDem!" A voice exclaims. I snap my head up and see Axel looking at me with his eyebrows raised. "Finally… I propose a toast!" He adds, standing up. Roxas has long since slid off his lap and is sitting in his own chair. Zex and I grab our bottles. "To our last drink as high schoolers," he says, a wide grin on his face. We all raise our bottles, and clink them together.

"Kanpai!" All seven of us cheer, tapping our bottles on the hardwood surface of the table before taking a swig. We set the bottles down, laughing at our childishness. Zexion stands, chugging the rest of his bottle and tossing it in the sink.

"So… We kinda need to get goin', huh?" Axel says, leaning back in his chair. Roxas sets his empty bottle on the table and stands.

"Unfortunately," he sighs. The blonde stands, as do I. I hear Zexion go up the stairs and follow behind him. I catch the back of his heel as he enters his room. I peek around his doorframe; he looks up. A small smile graces his features and he beckons me in. I follow, closing the door slightly behind me. As Zexion kneels down, digging through his drawers for something, I sit down on his bed and look around. His walls are a plain off-white and his carpet is a boring light blue.

I let out a small gasp as I feel arms snaking around my shoulders. There's a throaty chuckle in my ear that sends shivers down my spin. My eyes flutter closed at the intimate contact.

"Hmmm, in three days," my boyfriend breathes in my ear, nipping at it slightly. "You won't be a minor anymore…" He trails off, running his tongue down the length of my ear and planting kiss after kiss along his neck. I unconsciously tilt my head to the side, giving him more room to do as he wishes. The laugh from before returns and his hands slide their way down my chest; he leans over my shoulder and latches on to my collarbone with his mouth.

Another gasp escapes my lips as he hits my sweet spot. He grins against my skin and, suddenly, he's gone. I groan at the sudden loss of his warmth. I open my eyes and see him standing in front of me, a sexy smirk on his face. I feel my mouth start to water. Zexion knows. His eyelids shrink to being half-lidded.

"Zex," I start, surprised by my voice. His name spills out of my mouth, sounding husky and dripping with _need_. Zexion lets a Cheshire grin stretch across his face and he walks forward, spreading my legs with his own and stepping in between them. "Don't tease me… if we can't… go all the way…" I breathe out as he kisses my face. He crawls on my lap, straddling my hips and cupping my face with his hands.

"Why?" He returns, kissing my forehead, then both cheeks. He rests his forehead against mine and his steel blue eyes bore into mine. My breath is taken away by the shear emotion in his eyes. The love, the compassion, is almost too much. I can't take it anymore.

"Because," I whisper, he dips his head down and presses his lips back to my neck. "If you don't… stop, I'll… end up… ripping your… clothes off…" I say between gasps for air as he subconsciously rolls his hips against mine. "Zex… you're… Ha-ah!"

"Shit," he mutters, after letting a moan escape his lips. He pushes himself off of me, and falls on the floor. "I'm so sorry, Demyx," he repeats under his breath as if it's become his own personal mantra.

"Zex, Zex, love, chill," I say, smiling at our current situation: two hard-ons and a graduation ceremony in less than two hours. "Just think of something totally… unsexual… Trust me, it works… Like, think of… I dunno… Uh… Me rambling like an idiot?" I offer, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"Dem, that does not help me any," Zexion replies with a sigh. "'Cause after you're rambling, you get embarrassed, then you start blushing and that just turns me on more." My boyfriend looks at me with narrowed eyes, his lips pursed.

"I'm sorry!" I laugh, feeling my face heat up. Zexion glares at for a second longer, then joins in the laughter. All previous tension washes away and we're left, laughing our asses off.

"Dem, you're too much," Zexion tells me after our laughing fit, wiping tears from his eyes. I giggle, and nod. I look at my boyfriend, who is still sitting on the floor. His hair is falling out of the ponytail. In fact, most of it is back in his face.

"Hn, Zexy, your hair's all messed up," I tell him, sliding off the bed and walking around behind him. I'm happy to note that both of our 'problems' are gone.

"Eh?" He looks up at me through his glasses, his eyes wide and questioning.

"It's all falling out of your ponytail, love," I elaborate, grinning. He shrugs and stands up. I pull the ribbon out of his hair and smile. "Hey… This was on your present last year…" I state, the smile evident in my voice.

"Way to be, Captain Obvious," Zexion returns. His voice is snippy, but I can tell that he's just embarrassed. I laugh and shake my head. I look around and finally see a plain elastic band on his dresser. I let his hair fall back in his face and he combs his fingers through it. I lightly slap his hands away and tug his hair back, gently. The ponytail I'm making is slightly higher than his previous one, but it looks cute. Part of his bangs flop back in his face as I pull the rubber band around his silvery locks. After the band is in place, I tie on the ribbon. I let my hands ghost down the sides of Zexion's neck and wrap around his shoulders. I rest my chin on his shoulder and look forward, noticing that we're standing in front of a full-length mirror.

"We're an odd couple, Zexy," I state, planting a small kiss on his cheek. I look back to the mirror and smile at the blush on my boyfriend's cheeks.

"Yeah… But I couldn't stand to be with anybody but you," he replies, resting his hands on top of mine and leaning against my chest. A serene smile grows on his face and he nuzzles his head into my neck.

"I love you, Zex, I really do," I whisper into his ear. He looks surprised for a second; this is the first time either of us have uttered the word.

"I love you, too, Demyx. Thank you," he replies, after a heart-stopping second. He turns his head at the same time I do and our lips meet, sending sparks through my body and a wave of dizziness over my vision. I've felt so many emotions today alone that it's becoming overwhelming. (Not to mention that I feel like a total sap, describing our kisses... But what's one more time?) Our angle is weird, but I couldn't feel more comfortable. This kiss… well, this one is so _different_ than all of the others we've shared. There's no lust, there's no desperation, there's no sadness. For once, in our entire relationship, we share a kiss of pure _happiness_. We pull away smiling and Zexion sighs contentedly.

"COME ON LOVEBIRDS! THIS TRAIN IS LEAVING!" A voice shrieks from up the stairs. I close my eyes and grin. I drop my arms from Zexion's shoulders and lace my fingers with his.

"C'mon, love," I say, tugging on his hand. He doesn't budge.

"I don' wanna graduate," he whines, stomping his feet like a two-year-old. I grin and scoop him up in my arms. Carrying him bridal style in my arms, I walk down the stairs. We reach the bottom and Zexion covers his face with his hands to hide his embarrassment. Axel, Roxas, Marly, Xemnas and Saïx are waiting by the front door, grins on their faces.

"Jesus, what were you two doing up there, proclaiming your love or something?" Axel mock-scoffs. Zexion averts his eyes and I feel my face turn red.

"Uhhh… Yeah…" I laugh, biting my lip. I don't dare look at Axel.

"Oh. Oops." He replies. I laugh and set Zexion on his feet. He grabs his robe and loops his arm through mine. He keeps his head down. I can only imagine that he's embarrassed beyond belief. I smile and roll my eyes. Looking over at Axel, I send a pleading look his way. He grins widely and nods, ushering everybody outside.

"We'll be waiting out in the car, 'kay?" Roxas offers, a smirk on his face. I open my mouth to say something, but close it and shake my head. The short blonde sticks his tongue out before he shuts the door. Now, it's just us. I bend down slightly and look at my boyfriend. I feel my eyes go wide and I drop my arm from his, only to use my hand to tilt his head up. His icy grey eyes are puffy and there are tears trailing down his cheeks. Zexion tries to rip his head from my grip, but I cup his cheeks in both my hands.

"Love, why are you crying?" I ask, rubbing away the tears with my thumb. He shakes his head and closes his eyes. "Zex, seriously, what's wrong?" He looks up at me, then throws his arms around me, burying his face into my shoulder. I'm stunned for a second, then I rub his back. I can feel his frail body shaking under my hands. "Zexy…" I start again. I feel his grip on my shirt tighten and he shakes his head. A hear a sob escape his lips and frown.

"I-I'm s-sor-r-ry," he sobs.

"For what, love?" I ask him softly.

"Fo-or cr-cr-ry-i-ing," he hiccups. I crease my eyebrows.

"But why are you crying?" I continue to prod.

"I-I d-do-on't-t kn-no-ow," he returns. By now, I'm thoroughly confused. I pull him away from my slightly and look into his tear clouded eyes. Again, I wipe more off his cheeks.

"Then there's no need to, Zexy. Just calm down and breathe, okay?" I tell him, kissing him on the forehead. He nods, gulping down some air before hiccupping again. I grin and kiss him lightly on the lips. "Are you okay, now?" I ask him. He nods, wrapping his arms around my neck and pulling me down for another kiss. I comply, a smile on my face. Our lips meet and send tingles down my spine. We pull away.

"I love you, Demyx. Don't ever leave me," he demands, rather than asks. I nod, looking him straight in the eyes.

"I love you, too, Zexion. And I'd never dream of it," I reply. I feel utterly cheesy, but this couldn't feel more right. Zexion nods, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. He wipes off his face on his sleeve and picks up his gown. We link arms again, only this time, we're standing just _a little _closer than before. We walk out the door and Zexion locks it. I glance back at the house before we get in the back of Axel's car. Zexion looks up at me from his seat and pulls on my arm, telling me to get in. I glance at him and nod. I spare the white-sided house one more look and slide in.

Zexion takes a hold of my hand after we buckle up. Axel zooms out of the cull de sac and follows Saïx's blue BMW into town. I look over at Zexion and smile. He returns the gesture and leans over, placing a kiss on my lips.

"Okay, okay! No making out in my backseat!" Axel barks, mockingly. Zexy and I look at Axel, then back to each other, grins on our faces. Within seconds, we're lip-locked and as on top of each other as the seatbelts will allow. Zexion's tongue plunges into my mouth and I hold back a moan.

'_Yeah, I could get used to this._'

_**OWARI**_

**A/N: So there ya go! This is the end of Six Silver Candles. Look for my poll to help me decide the title of the next story~! Thanks to all of you that have stuck with me this entire series! Thank you to everybody that reviewed and faved, it means a lot to me. Stay tuned and don't kill me if the next doesn't come out for a while!**


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